Tigers Score Early to Top Cuesta, 4-1.

RIVERSIDE -- Taking advantage of some early fielding miscues, the Riverside City College (RCC) Tigers women's fastpitch softball scored four runs in the first two innings and cruised to a 4-1 non-conference home win over the visting Cuesta College Cougars Saturday afternoon (Feb. 22) at Brown Field (Evans Sports Complex).

Riverside (7-2) scored in the first inning when it parlayed a walk and a bunt single and ensuing fielding error into a 1-0 lead. A walk and single to left field made the run earned.

In the second, a single, sacrifice bunt, a walk, a single, another walk which forced in a run, a RBI single and another walk which forced in another run made it 4-0, Riverside.

Sophomore LF Desiree Broussard and freshman catcher Selena Duran each had two hits to pace the Tigers. Starting RHP Bailey Powell also had two hits and also tried to help her own cause with a leadoff triple to right field in the third inning, but was stranded.

Cuesta (12-7) got on the board with one out in the sixth inning when SS Bre Ojala homered to dead left field as the Cougars reduced the deficit to 4-1.

Powell went the first four frames, allowed only three hits and two walks to get the win (4-2). MacKenzie Maxwell pitched the final three innings and allowed two hits and one run (earned), but struck out two. 

Starting RHP Jeananne Ruck, the first of three pitchers for Cuesta, only lasted 1-1/3 innings and allowed all four runs (two earned) on four hits and four walks to get saddled with the loss (7-3).

RCC returns to action on Monday, Feb. 24, when it visits the Santa Ana College (SAC) Dons in an Orange Empire Conference (OEC) start at 3 p.m. Cuesta will visit the Porterville College Pirates on Tuesday, Feb. 25, in a non-conference doubleheader.

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